Love Angels: Feelings Forgotten, is a portrait of women working in the sex trade, particularly in massage parlors, but it also gives a glimpse into “full-service” establishments. It’s a stark and honest portrayal that addresses why they turn to this profession, what they encounter while working, and why it is so difficult to leave a business that provides fast money, albeit coupled with emotional and often physical scars.
Our narrator takes us through her introduction to the sex trade and her experience as a “Love Angel,” working in a massage parlor as a last resort to put food on the table. She writes of her shame about her job and her difficulties in love and other relationships and offers anecdotes from her time in the trade. She also explains her ultimate reason for writing this book: to share the stories of the lost and forgotten women who have been dehumanized by their situation. The author wants readers to remember that these prostitutes, or “Love Angels,” deserve compassion and understanding.
The story of these women is incredibly compelling, but the book struggles to vividly bring the subject to light. It lacks illuminating detail, is poorly organized, and replete with editing errors and factual issues (such as when she incorrectly notes: “So many books have been written, but not one that talks about those forbidden places where thousands of women work”). Although the author is clearly passionate about her subject, the writing is flat and fails to evoke any real emotion for readers to connect with and can be confusing and repetitive.
What the book does offer is an intriguing subject, as well as the author’s unique outlook on life, sex, and religion. This, combined with the stories of other women and clients the author has met, provides plentiful raw material for what could be a truly compelling read with revision.
Also available as an ebook.
